Cherry Pie
by SlvrSoleAlchmst1
Summary: One Mizuki Ashiya, a girl disguised in an all boys school for the sake of following her idol. One schoolwide Pie Eating contest, witnessed by everyone in Osaka High. Put the two together, and you get one VERY HUGE mess, HanaKimi style.
1. Part 1

"You're kidding me, right?" Mizuki scratched the back of her head in awe. "A pie-eating contest? Really?"

Nakatsu threw a friendly arm around her shoulder, resting all his weight on top of her as he got right up in her face and began to whisper secretively.

"That's right, and it's a big deal here, Mizuki. We can't lose, understand?" He checked over both shoulders before continuing. "We have to beat the other classes no matter what. I expect at least seven out of you!"

Mizuki forced a grin and pulled herself away – he was a little too close for comfort. Once in the safety of open space, however, her smile became genuine and she couldn't help but laugh at the bleach-haired boy's serious take on all forms of competition.

"Sorry, Nakatsu, but seven _what_?"

He looked aghast. "Pies, of course!"

"WHAAAAAT!"

"C'mon, Mizuki, you can handle that, can't ya?" He shook her by the shoulders. "Can't ya?"

Sano looked up lazily from his plate of ramen, eyes scanning the noisy cafeteria. Nakatsu was not the only one over-enthused about the upcoming event.

He fixed his cool stare on the harassed-looking Mizuki. "Don't they have contests like that in America?"

"Well, I'm sure they do…" she looked grateful to have an excuse to step away from Nakatsu. "But they don't make it a school event, if that's what you're asking."

A sudden thought seemed to occur to her, just as Sekime and Noe took their usual seats at the table.

"Say, Sano, we can be in it together! You _are_ going to be in it, right?"

"I hate sweets," he replied impatiently, irritated that she hadn't remembered, though he'd told her several times.

"Oh, right," her face fell.

"Don't worry, Mizuki," Nakatsu cut in. "We can enter as a team! No one will be able to beat the mighty Nakatsu, Pie Eater Extraordinaire!"

"Oh, the pie eating contest?" Sekime asked, lifting his chopsticks and digging in. "It should be fun."

"And there'll be _girls_ there!" Noe added with a sparkle in his eye.

"That's right," Sekime added. "_Lot's _of girls. They come from the neighboring schools to watch. It's a big deal."

"Give it a rest, already," Sano chimed in, his chin resting absently in his hand. _Mizuki probably couldn't care less about a bunch of girls…after all, she _is_ one._

A young boy with a porcelain complexion had come up behind them. "You aren't going on about that dumb contest _too_, are you?" His tone was heavy with disgust.

"Nakao!" Mizuki called to him cheerfully.

"I for one wouldn't dream of indulging in something so tactless," he said with a dignified air. "There's no sense making a fool of yourself and getting covered in cherry filling just for a bunch of _girls_. Think of the mess that would stick in my hair! I'd never bother." He put a hand to his cheek, as if he felt faint at the mere thought of it.

"Yeah, you wouldn't, would you?" Nakatsu growled in a low voice. "You fruit…" Then he stopped. _I called him a fruit, but here I am always thinking about Mizuki… There's something wrong with me. Oh, no! I'm doing it again! His pretty eyes! That gorgeous hair! Ahh, Mizuki, why does this always have to happen when I'm around you!_

"Na…Nakatsu?" Mizuki asked tentatively, quite stunned by his sudden withdrawal.

Sekime watched the tears pour down the soccer player's face, then shook his head knowingly. "He's at it again…"

"He always does this," Noe observed. "It's best to just ignore it."

"R-right," Mizuki answered, a large drop of sweat forming on the back of her head. _I wonder if it was something I said…_

"Anyway," Nakao cut in, drawing the attention back to himself. "I've got to get ready for sixth period. I'll see you later, Mizuki."

"'Bye," she waved cheerily. "What's sixth period?" she asked Noe suspiciously once he was gone.

"Gym," he answered slyly. "Upperclassman Nanba is assistant coaching today."

"Oh, well that explains it…" she watched him fade into the distance. _He's still holding out for Nanba. I wonder if he'll ever tell Nanba how he feels?_

"Let's go, Mizuki," Sano piped up suddenly, taking her by the arm and drawing her away from the table. "I forgot something in the dorm room."

"S-Sano?" she sputtered incoherently as he led her out of the bustling cafeteria. _He's so close to me right now…_

He didn't say a word until they had reached their room. Once inside, he collapsed onto the bed.

"What did you forget?" Mizuki asked in concern.

_Clueless, as always,_ he thought before he responded. "I didn't forget anything. I just wanted to get away from that lot."

Mizuki grinned. "They can be over the top, but really, Sano, they're nice people. Even Nakatsu."

"Do you want to come to my practice today?" he asked, laying back on the bed and changing the subject.

_He looks so calm lying there like that – so still._ A small flush crept its way onto Mizuki's cheeks, but she fought it back. _No! He still doesn't know I'm a girl. Come on, Mizuki, you can't blow this now…_

"I'd love to watch you jump today, but are you sure you don't mind?" Her heart fluttered. Even after half a year of living with him - watching him do the high-jump - seeing him in action still gave her the shivers. _He _was_ the reason I came to Japan, after all…_

"I don't mind. Why don't you take Yujiro with you when you go?"

Mizuki smiled as an image of the huge dog bowling her over and licking her face was brought fondly to mind. "I'll do that."

"Right then," he sighed and picked himself up wearily. "I need to study for a while."

"Okay. I think I'll go with Nakatsu and the others to watch the track team practice. We have a free period. You could come, you know, Sano."

"It's all right." He ran a hand through his silky black hair and pulled out a clean sheet of paper.

"See you," Mizuki shut the door quietly behind her.

_A/N: So what do you think? Hana-Kimi is my favorite manga, and I just had to try writing all those fun characters. There really doesn't seem to be that much Hana-Kimi fanfiction out there – maybe I can start a trend! Stay tuned for more, because I'll be updating. I can't wait to add Umeda in to all of this… _


	2. Part 2

When Mizuki arrived at the field, Nakatsu and the rest were waiting for her.

"Mizuki!" Nakao whined. "Thank God you're back! The only thing these idiots do around here is talk about girls and that dumb contest!"

"Hi, Nakao," she greeted, oblivious to the loud frivolity around her. She scanned the crowd for Nanba, until her gaze settled upon the tall, handsome upperclassman sitting on the bench, delivering a pep talk to those in their track uniforms. The breeze sifted teasingly through his long brown locks while he rose and began to pace the sidelines.

Nakao followed her gaze. "What are you looking at?" he probed warily when he realized who she was watching.

She tore her gaze quickly away, waving her hands frantically in front of her. "No, no, it's nothing like that," she assured the steaming younger boy. "I swear." _I was just wondering how he was doing, after that incident…_

She thought back to the other day, when she had accidentally witnessed his argument with his lover. The woman had slapped him – told him she was getting married to someone else and they could not longer see each other. Nanba had confided in her after that, telling her that the girl she had seen was the only woman he had ever loved. Mizuki had a hard time believing his story, the way he womanized with no remorse, but the look on his face as he held her in sadness had convinced her.

_I wonder if he'll really be okay..._

"Hello? Earth to Mizuki!" Nakatsu was waving his palm in her face.

"Oh, sorry," she apologized, flustered. _I wonder if Sano and I will ever be like Nanba and his old girlfriend. True lovers who don't have to care about anything except each other…_

"I was just saying that maybe we shouldn't stay to watch the practice after all," Nakatsu repeated to her. "Lover boy here has already started drooling, and I think we could have more fun elsewhere, at the moment."

"Elsewhere?" Mizuki echoed.

"_Who's_ drooling?" Nakao was indignant.

"Come on," Nakatsu grabbed her and dragged her away from the mass of spectators gathered around the track members.

"Why is it everyone is always _dragging_ me everywhere?" Mizuki mumbled to herself as Nakatsu brought her back inside the building.

The bleach-haired boy released her reluctantly and stood motionless. _His arm is so soft…_

"Nakatsu?" Mizuki inquired encouragingly, smiling to urge him on when he didn't speak.

A faint blush rose to his cheeks. _No! Don't smile at me like that!_

"Uh, I just wanted to know if you'd come to my soccer practice this evening," he managed to choke out, his nerves making him giddy. "You know, to root for me and the rest of the team."

"I've already told Sano I'd watch him train for the high-jump," Mizuki replied. "I'm sorry, Nakatsu."

_No! Damn you, Sano! What do you have that Mizuki doesn't see in me?_

"Really? You did?" He scuffed the ground anxiously with his toe. "Okay then. Another time." _CURSE YOU, IZUMI SANO!_

"I'll be sure to come, I promise." Suddenly a sharp pain shot through her midriff. "I've got to go, Nakatsu. I'll see you in class."

"You'll see me after school, too," he clarified on her behalf. "Pie eating practice. Training."

"Wh…What!"

But he was already long gone, sprinting down the hallway, tears streaming from his eyes. _That crazy Nakatsu!_

Without further hesitation she made her way down the abandoned halls. The other students were either in class or out on the field. She leaned heavily against a set of lockers and took in a deep breath, her hand clasped tightly over her stomach. _Man, do I hate being a girl at times like these. I need to see the doctor. Maybe Rio left me something I can use…and I need pain killers…_

She trudged her way to Umeda's office, pausing at the door and listening. It seemed like every time she had to speak with him, she walked in on some sort of highly involved physical therapy session that looked more like the doctor was indulging in wild sexual fantasies.

No sound reached her ears from within, but she threw open the door with her eyes squinted shut, just in case.

Umeda was sitting at his desk with his back to her. "What is it?" he called, spinning the chair around and adjusting his glasses. "Oh, Mizuki. Please don't tell me this is about your problems with your love life. I have better things to do, you know."

"What, like kissing other men when you're supposed to be working?" She was referring to the time when she'd walked in on him and his boyfriend, a handsome college student who lived nearby.

"That aside," he said humorlessly, rolling his eyes.

"I just need some tam —"

"GAH! Don't say it. As if hearing things like that from my elder sister all the time isn't enough. You females are disgusting. You know where they are. Help yourself."

"Pardon me for being human," she smirked, making her way to a small cabinet behind his desk.

"You know, you should be glad I'm covering your little blue butt," he said with a wry smirk. Mizuki thought she detected a hint of fondness in his tone, but it was gone in an instant, replaced with mild contempt.

"I've already thanked you multiple times!"

"Maybe so," he mused aloud. "But if anyone ever caught me with those in an all boy's school, I would hate to think of the consequences."

Mizuki drew out a flowered bikini top from the back of the drawer and dangled it in front of his nose. "What, with things like _this_ hanging around? I don't think so."

"Hmmf," he grunted, folding his arms defensively in an attempt to scrounge up what little dignity he had left. "Make fun of it all you want, but I happen to think my tastes are well refined, thank you very much."

Mizuki stuffed a box of necessities into her bookbag. "By the way, what do you know of this renowned Pie Eating Contest?"

Umeda seemed to brighten. "Considering it, are you? It's quite the little event."

"Nakatsu wants me to team up with him."

"That one?" Umeda clapped a hand over his eyes. "Knowing him, he'll gouge himself silly until he can't stand up. Better not let him sucker you into it, or you'll lose for sure."

"I asked Sano, but…"

"Ah, why bother asking him?" the doctor eyed her with a sly gaze. "Your boy doesn't like sweets, remember?"

She sighed. "I just keep forgetting. How can he not like sweets? I love my peach juice…" She ceased her rambling without warning and threw him a mistrustful look. "Wait, how did you know Sano doesn't like sweets?"

"Oh, he was a frequent patient after his accident a while back." There was an evil glint in his eye.

Suddenly the image of a lust-ridden Umeda lovingly massaging an injured Sano imposed upon her thoughts and plagued her mind. _No! It can't be!_

"KYAAAA!"

Umeda erupted into a bout of laughter. "Relax," he said soothingly. "He's not my type."

"Doctor Umeda!"

"Hey, I had to cheer you up somehow," he straightened his white jacket in an authoritative manner. "But if _that_ didn't work, I can always dance you a little strip tease…" He lifted the corner of his shirt.

"NO! No, really, I feel much better." Her hair stood on end, and she backed herself carefully to the door. "Thanks for the help."

"No problem." He spun around and resumed his work. "Good luck at the contest. I'll be there watching with the rest of the school."


	3. Part 3

_The rest of the school! _Mizuki tried not to think of the humiliation she was sure to suffer, though it bothered her for the rest of the afternoon. By the time she'd met up with Nakatsu, the notion hadn't left her.

She blinked when she caught sight of the boxes laid out all over Nakatsu's dorm room. "What's all this?"

"The practice pies, of course," the bleach-haired boy scoffed indignantly. "I got them from the bakery. What kind do you want, Mizuki?"

"D-do we really have to practice now, Nakatsu?" She really didn't feel like gouging herself with pie more than once. "Can't we wait until the competition?"

"Don't be stupid!" he nearly hollered. "Practice makes perfect! And we have to win!" He motioned to the stacks of boxes. "There's blueberry, strawberry, blackberry, peach, and cherry. I think that funny green box is gooseberry. Take your pick."

Then there came a knock on the door, and Nanba poked his head in. "I can hear your loud obnoxious voice from halfway down the hall, Nakatsu, he gritted. "Keep it down." His eyes widened as he caught sight of the numerous pies scattered about the sloppy dorm room. "What the hell is that?"

"Pies," Nakatsu blurted defensively. "You told us yourself that our class had to win. We're practicing." He jabbed a finger at Mizuki. "And he's helping me."

Nanba conked him hard over the head. "There's no food in the dorm rooms, unless it's just leftovers from lunch of something. Idiot. Knowing you, you'll make a mess. Get rid of it!" He slammed the door after him, confident that his orders would be obeyed.

"Damn him," Nakatsu cursed, rubbing his head ruefully. "Mizuki, you'd better leave. We'll find another time to practice. At least take a pie with you, though."

She scanned the piles meticulously. "I think I'll take cherry," she decided. _Maybe Yujiro will eat it._

On the way back to her own room, she slipped the box open and extracted a piece of the delicacy. "It can't hurt to eat just one piece before dinner," she muttered to herself to ease her guilt. The sweet sugary filling was delicious, and before she'd even reached her door, she'd devoured the whole slice.

Licking her fingers, she stretched out a hand for the knob, but to her astonishment, the door swung open on its own. Sano stared at her.

"What the heck are you doing, Ashiya?" he demanded.

"I was with Nakatsu," she responded absently, entering the room and searching for a place to stow the dessert. "He gave me some pie." She stopped short as Sano laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Turn around," he commanded softly.

"S-Sano? What…" _What is he doing?_

He reached up a hand and wiped a glob of filling off her nose with a dark sleeve. "You slob," he whispered fondly, "You got cherry filling all over your face."

A warm flush made itself visible on Mizuki's features, and she turned quickly away, rubbing her face roughly with the back of her own sleeve. _Why won't my heart stop beating so fast?_

"Anyway," Sano continued, "I'm off to practice."

"I'll see you there," she replied, only half paying attention. _This pie thing is going to be harder than I thought,_ she pondered to herself as she began to change her clothes.

_A/N: Sorry this chapter was so short! I've been working on a lot of other things. I'll try to keep updated!_


	4. Part 4

Later on that day, Mizuki eagerly attended Sano's practice, Yujiro in tow. The minutes had seeped by in a blur of colors and images – Sano clearing the pole at its highest setting. Sano as he draped a starchy white towel over his muscled shoulders and tossed the dark strands of hair from his eyes.

_He's so cool, and so confident. I wish I could be more like him._

"Ashiya." She looked up to see that he now stood in front of her.

"S-Sano," she sputtered. "Sorry, I wasn't exactly paying attention."

He tweaked her on the nose and motioned for her to stand. "I can see that. Come on, let's go back to the dorms. The competition is tomorrow."

Mizuki's stomach gurgled audibly. "I'm so starved! Can't we stop to get some food first?"

He looked at her as if she'd lost every bit of her senses. _If only Nakatsu could hear her talking like that._

"How can you think that way, Ashiya?" he questioned, generally baffled by her ability to consider food on the eve of the school's biggest eating competition. No human could possibly manage to scrape up a win in a contest like that if they ate the night before.

Mizuki rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment. "Ahaha, I guess you're right. I'd never be able to eat all that pie tomorrow if I ate dinner now." _Good thing he thought about that. I don't want to get sick from overeating._ She shuddered at the thought.

Then a voice hailed them from down the walkway. "Izumi, Ashiya! There you are." It was Nanba.

"What's wrong?" Mizuki asked as he trotted to meet them with an irritated look on his handsome features.

"You're friend Nakatsu has gone and done something stupid. You two better take responsibility for it. I can't believe this. Our class doesn't have a chance now." He ran a hand through his silken locks in distress.

Mizuki tilted her head in concern and confusion. "What do you mean, Minami? Where's Nakatsu now?"

"The idiot's asleep in his dorm room. Uncle Hokuto had to give him something to knock him out. He wouldn't stop wailing about the pain in his stomach."

Mizuki blinked. _I keep forgetting that Doctor Umeda is Nanba's uncle…_ Then the remark the elder boy had made sunk in. "Oh no. What has he done?"

Sano's face remained impassive. "It wouldn't surprise me if he'd eaten every single one of those pies by himself and gotten sick," he observed coolly.

Mizuki threw him a wondering glance. _Hopefully Nakatsu wouldn't do a thing like that right before the contest…_

Nanba forced a smile, but it turned into a grimace. "Looks like Mr. High-jump here guessed it," he revealed. "Arrgh! At this rate, our class will come out at the bottom for sure. I had hoped we'd win this year."

"I'm sure we can get someone else to fill in," she suggested, becoming nervous as Nanba's temper seemed to flare at the prospect of one of the other classes surpassing theirs. "What about Noe or Sekime?"

"Sekime's going home to visit his grandmother," Sano offered absently. He had busied himself with petting Yujiro. _They ought to just give up now. It's only pie._

Nanba shook his head. "And Noe said he has a cosplay masquerade to attend. Since he makes the costumes, he'll be busy all weekend. I knew it," he stiffened as he seemed to reach a conclusion. "There's no other choice. Sano," he called, and said boy glared up at him from his crouch beside Yujiro.

"Don't even think about it," the younger boy threatened. "I won't fill in for that loud-mouthed braggart."

"It might be fun, Sano, you never know," Mizuki insisted as she tried to hide her excitement. "I hear they have meat pies that aren't sweet at all." _Please, please, PLEASE let him say yes!_

"No." He gritted his teeth in irritation. _Why does she look so disappointed!_

Nanba folded his arms across his chest, the picture of the intimidating upperclassman. "Too bad. You don't really have a choice in the matter. He's your friend, so you pick up his slack. I want you both there at the opening ceremonies, do you understand?"

"Y-yes," Mizuki stammered as he stormed off. _Opening ceremonies? This is getting ridiculous._ "Sano? Are you coming? Let's go back and see how Nakatsu's doing." Then she noticed the mutinous look on his face and shrank back.

"It might be fun," he quoted back to her. "They have meat pies that aren't sweet." _How the heck did I let her get me into this?_

"Eheh heh, I'm sorry," she apologized, a large sweatdrop forming on the back of her head. "But I really think you could enjoy it if you tried." _He's going to hate me for all of eternity._

"What's done is done," he sighed, taking up Yujiro's leash and leading him back toward the building. "I guess we'll see what happens tomorrow."


	5. Part 5

"LLLLLADIES AND GENTLEMEN," Nanba cried from the makeshift stage that had been erected in the school's sunlit courtyard, "I welcome you all to this year's Osaka High Pie Eating Contest!" The crowd remained silent, and Nanba forced himself to remain smiling. _Why did I ever agree to take the role of RA for this unenthusiastic lot?_

"There are no ladies here, you nimrod!" Nakatsu hollered from the sidelines as Mizuki sidled away in embarrassment.

Sano clapped a hand over his eyes. "Tone it down Nakatsu, would you? Look at you! You're fine. I don't see why you can't still enter the competition."

The bleach-haired boy looked aghast. "Me? In this horrible condition? You have no sympathy, do you, Izumi?"

"Not for you I don't," Sano growled, eyeing the rows of pies on the tables in distaste. "Because I'm the one that has to fill your position." He grimaced as the soccer player clapped him heartily on the back.

"Oh, you'll be fine, tough guy." Then he turned to Mizuki. "What about you? Did you train like I told you to?"

Nakao emerged from Mizuki's other side and snorted. "Why? So he can fall over with a stomach ache like you did yesterday? Give me a break."

"Arrgh! Shut up, you little—"

"May I have your ATTENTION," hollered Nanba from the stand, one eyebrow twitching in irritation as he fixed his glare on Nakatsu, who drew back and let out a nervous laugh. "The contest will begin momentarily. Tables are arranged by class number, so please find a seat quickly and we'll get started. Those who are NOT PARTICIPATING," he spat vehemently as Nakatsu whimpered, "Will find a place along the sidelines and will kindly refrain from any useless actions of any sort, such as obnoxious catcalls…"

"Okay, okay, I get it already," Nakatsu fumed, shaking a fist at the smug RA on the stage. "Why don't you shut up and do your damn job?" _I swear, that guy has it in for me today._

Nakao gasped audibly. "Don't speak to my Minami that way!"

"PLACES!" screeched Himejima in German, as he confiscated the microphone from his fellow resident advisor with a mighty flair.

Mizuki turned to the two quarrelling boys. "Well, I guess Sano and I should go," she said, waving cheerily as she headed for the closest table. _Why do I get the feeling that I'm walking to my doom?_

"Mizuki, wait!"

She spun around to find Nakatsu in her face. "Wh-what is it?" she stammered.

"Here." Without further ado he thrust a rather strange-looking object into her face and made as if to scamper off.

Sano grabbed his arm and held him in his spot. "Just a minute," he warned, "What exactly _is_ that thing?" He watched as Mizuki squinted at it.

She held it before her eyes incredulously, examining the strange lump of green and blue that dangled from the cord he'd handed to her. It looked like it should have been a figure molded out of clay.

"It's a good luck charm, obviously," Nakatsu stated, indignant. "I made it in preschool. It's a person, can't you tell? I've kept it safe in my underwear drawer all these years. It'll help you win, Mizuki."

Sano blanched. "Disgusting. Ashiya, put that thing down." Much to his horror, she clutched it to her chest before tying the cord around her wrist and letting it dangle there.

She smiled. "Thanks, Nakatsu. I'm sure it'll bring me good luck." She seized the shirtsleeve of a very baffled looking Sano and pulled him to one of the tables while Nakatsu hollered a loud goodbye. "We need a seat that has those meat pies set up near it, so you don't have to suffer through the sweet things," she said with a grin.

Sano blushed just slightly. "Y-you can let go of me now. There's a spot over there." He motioned to two empty spaces. _Geez. It's not like I'll pass out from just _sitting_ near the other pies._

"Uuwah! Look at all this," Mizuki cried, scanning the array of bright, glazed pies with awe. "I don't know if I can finish so many!"

"If you can," came a voice to her right, "Then you'd be no better off than that Nakatsu pal of yours. And if I have to deal with one more groaning patient like him, I think I'll quit my job."

"Doctor Umeda!"

"That's me," he said sarcastically, plunking himself down on her other side with a sour expression.

"Are you taking part in the contest too?" she asked him, her curiosity aroused.

The elder man snorted. "Contest?" he sneered in disgust, eyeing the pies that lined the tabletops, "It's sheer idiocy, that's what it is! I can't believe I got myself into this mess."

Mizuki felt a drop of sweat course its way down her head as the furious aura of the doctor made itself felt. "What happened?" _Wait – do I really want to know?_

Umeda crossed his arms as he began to relate the story. "I was at a bar last night and I met up with someone…"

_I knew I shouldn't have asked…_

"And it turned out that he used to go to Osaka High. When he heard about the competition he laughed and said he'd won all three years in a row."

Sano quirked an eyebrow. "So what was the big deal?"

The elder man positively simmered. "He wouldn't give me his number unless I agreed to take part in the competition."

Mizuki blinked.

"I think he just wants to see me squirm," he finished, glancing around as if expecting to find the mysterious man right behind him, "But then again, if I won he promised me that he and I could—"

Sano held up a hand. "Enough, old man. We get the picture."

Umeda huffed in response. "Teenagers and their dirty minds. I'm not old. Let's get this stupid thing over with." He fixed his eyes on his nephew as Nanba reclaimed the microphone from Himejima.

"Everyone at their places?" he asked, a fiendish glint in his dark eyes. "Ready…BEGIN!"


	6. Part 6

Mizuki stared down at her first pie, which appeared to contain some sort of raspberry filling. Then she glanced around the table. Umeda had already finished half of his first slice.

_Wait…slice? He's even taking the time to cut his before he eats it! Does he honestly care whether he wins or not?_

Suddenly she felt a hand on the nape of her neck. It was Sano.

"He said to begin, you idiot!" he yelled at her through a mouthful of pie. Then he shoved her face right into the center of the waiting pastry.

"S-Sano!" she yelped, lifting her head in an attempt to breath. "What was that for?" Clumps of sticky filling clung to her cheeks and nose.

Sano chewed his mouthful quickly, and it seemed he barely hesitated before digging his hands in for another bite. "Hurry up, will you Ashiya? I didn't put myself through this so we could lose."

Slowly, Mizuki licked a bit of extra filling from her upper lip. She peered to her opposite side. Umeda was nearly done with his first pie, a rather large gooseberry. He held his fork daintily, napkin placed on his lap, as he shoveled in the last of the crust.

_At least Doctor Umeda competes with some style…_

Nakatsu raked his fingers through his bleached hair in anxiety. "What's he doing?" he raged to Nakao, whose eyes were glued loyally to Nanba in admiration. "Why isn't he eating yet? COME ON, MIZUKI," he hollered at the top of his lungs. "GET GOING!"

"I wouldn't be surprised if he's given up," commented Nakao snidely. "After witnessing the boorish table manners of everyone around him, he's probably lost his appetite."

Mizuki looked up upon hearing Nakatsu's shout, and she threw him a cheerful wave before turning back to her first pie. With a determined huff, she dug both her hands into its gooey center and lifted them out, flaky crust and fruit spilling over her fingers.

"'Bout time," Sano said, sounding muffled from around the food in his mouth.

"Yup," Mizuki agreed, thrusting her handful into his face with stunning accuracy.

Sano let out a surprised wail and wobbled in his chair, fighting hard to keep from falling over as he felt the cold filling drip down his face and neck.

"Why'd you do that!" he growled at her before retaliating with a handful of his own meaty substance.

The disguised female stuck out her tongue when it hit her nose. "Payback."

"THIS IS AN EATING CONTEST," Nanba roared over the microphone, "NOT A FOOD FIGHT!"

"Children," Umeda grumbled, rolling his eyes in their direction, "Can't even handle a pie eating contest." It was then Mizuki noticed he had moved onto his fourth pie.

The two friends stared at each other. Mizuki burst out laughing, and to her delight Sano cracked a smile soon afterward. Everywhere their classmates were stuffing their faces, some being catered to with glasses of water as they choked in their great haste.

"We'd better get started for real this time," she decided, and the high-jumper nodded his agreement.

She dug into her pie with gusto, shoveling the delicious pieces into her mouth as Sano did the same beside her. By the time she'd finished half of her raspberry treat, she had begun to feel sick. _If all else fails,_ she thought to herself, _At least we have Doctor Umeda on our side to help us win._

"Seven pies and counting," the elder man announced gleefully, motioning to one of the students on standby to bring him another. "I think I may have a chance at dominating after all."

"You do that," Sano cut in. The athlete was starting to look a bit sickened himself. "Your win will give our dorm the points we need to beat the others."

"Depending on me now, are we?" the doctor exclaimed, neatly slicing his next section of blueberry with ease. "Keep it up, and I might just feel the need to give you every detail of my sexual encounters from last night."

_KYAAAA!_ "No, no," Mizuki interrupted hastily. "We'll keep going." She ate away at her first challenger and moved to the next victim, a tart rhubarb dish. The minutes passed like hours and she discovered she was only halfway through. Sano had eaten six. Umeda was on his twelfth.

_If I eat any more, I swear I'm going to throw up!_

"What's wrong?" Sano asked her, a look of concern crossing his handsome features.

_Don't talk to me, I might barf on you!_ "I can't eat any more," she gasped.

"Three minutes to go," came the warning from Nanba, who had taken the mic and turned to milling about the aisles in an authoritative manner.

Sano let his seventh empty pie plate clatter back onto the tabletop. "I'm done too. I never want to see a meat pie again." He clutched at his stomach in agony. "This is barbaric."

"Barbaric, yes," Umeda responded easily from Mizuki's other side, "But a necessary evil, to be sure."

"Two minutes!"

"Look," Nakatsu goggled, "Now they've _both_ stopped. I can't sit by and watch this happen!"

Nakao yawned indifferently. "Let them be. It's only pie." He eyed one of the tables belonging to a rival dorm. "Besides, no matter what they do, they've lost. That Kujo has already finished sixteen pies. All strawberry. I was watching."

"I'll show you pie," Nakatsu gritted, flinging aside his books and trudging toward Mizuki's table with a vengeance.

The smaller boy glanced around, realizing the soccer player had flown. The bleach-haired boy had taken Izumi by the shoulders and tore him from his seat, hefting him aside and taking his place at the table while Mizuki stared in shock.

"I don't know him," Nakao assured a group of sniggering seniors. "Never met him before in my life."

"Move over," Nakatsu ordered, hurling Sano aside and picking up where his classmate had left off.

"I thought you were too sick to eat anything," Mizuki recalled absently, watching as he devoured the remaining two thirds of what was left of Sano's eighth attempt. "At least you've come to save us. There's about a minute left now."

"Don't talk," the blonde insisted, as crumbs flew from his mouth.

"Fabulous," Umeda observed with a caustic flair as he set his silverware respectfully down. Nanba had begun counting. "You can get sick again and I'll attend to you. Give it up. You've got ten seconds."

Sano hadn't said a word the entire time, and Mizuki, beginning to feel quite nervous, suddenly noted the murderous look that was spread across his countenance.

The boy simmered, a volcano on the verge of eruption. "You're a dead man," he told Nakatsu as the guilty culprit strove to continue scoffing. "Too sick to compete, my ass."

Nanba was counting down with his fingers in the air. "Three…two…one. Time's up! Get some people out there to count those empty plates. NAKATSU, I SAID 'TIME'S UP'! THAT MEANS PUT THE PIE DOWN!"

The blonde obeyed, as Sano and Mizuki glared at him. "H-hey guys, why the evil stares?"

The two hollered in unison. "You liar!"

Umeda broke them apart and nudged them. "Results will be announced soon, so listen up. Let's see who won, shall we?"

_A/N: One more chapter to go in this odd little saga. Hope you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for the ending :D_


	7. Part 7 FIN

Mizuki and her friends watched with bated breath, as Nanba shook his head at the underclassman that had come onto the stage with the results. He frowned, but at last he took the paper and lifted the microphone to his mouth.

"The winners," he gritted with as much false cheer as he could muster, "Are the students of Dorm 3, who beat Dorm 2 by a total of six pies," he was forced to wait as wild cheers erupted from somewhere on his left. "That leaves Dorm 1 in third place. Well done Osaka High, at another year's Pie Eating Contest!"

Nakatsu blinked. "We came in second place," he announced.

At that, Umeda sighed dramatically. "Well, it's better than I expected out of you lot. But now I won't be getting that man's number. A whole night of bar hopping gone to waste." He shook his head and pushed himself out of his chair. "I'll be leaving now, you bunch of second rate pie-eaters."

"Oi!" Nakatsu shook a fist at the elder doctor as he made his way across the courtyard. "You weren't interested in the pies at all, were you?"

"Relax." Sano placed a hand on Nakatsu's shoulder, and the blonde froze at the gesture.

_I'm sure he knows that Sano's still mad at him_, Mizuki thought as she witnessed the exchange.

"Don't hurt me," Nakatsu pleaded, as the high jumper's grip tightened menacingly.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it."

Mizuki turned as Nakao caught her attention, and she gave him a smile. "We didn't do so bad. You should have helped us."

The delicate boy shook his head. "Not a chance. But I did come to congratulate you."

Nakatsu was valiantly striving to avoid a swing from Sano as he called out a greeting. "What's this? Nanba's lover suddenly _cares_?"

Mizuki hid a laugh and instead frowned while Nakao stuck out his tongue in defense. "Who was counting enemy pies? I didn't see _you_ making an effort to figure out what we were up against. You just assumed we'd win without doing any research."

"But you also enjoyed watching the older boys get messy, didn't you, you little fruitcake?"

"That's not very nice, Nakatsu," she chided, just as Nanba brutally shoved aside two students in his rage and haste to get to them.

"What kind of performance was that?" he seethed, seizing Nakatsu by the ear as he spoke and tugging harshly. "You let Dorm 3 beat us, and now Tennoji will never let me hear the end of it. This was my last year to win, too."

Mizuki couldn't help but feel a bit of pity for him. _Well, this was lots of fun, but I guess it WAS Nanba's last chance to win. He tries so hard to be a good RA…_

"Ow! Let go of my ear," Nakatsu hollered, swatting the upperclassman's hand away, "It's not my fault. The rest of them are amateurs when it comes to pie eating!"

Nanba only twisted harder. "Says you who claimed to be sick and only participated in the last five minutes."

"LEGGO!"

Finally Nanba relented, scanning the group for Nakao, who to his horror was staring at him with sparkling eyes that seeped with devotion. "And what about you?"

"M-me?" Nakao gasped, blushing a pale pink upon being addressed by the older boy.

"Why didn't you compete? We only lost by six pies. Even someone like you could manage that." He frowned when Nakao drooled instead of answering, and he slapped a palm to his forehead in defeat. "Oh well. At least you goons had fun."

Nakatsu pasted a sly grin across his face, aiming the look at Nanba. "Why didn't _you_ participate, Minami?"

"Uh, well…"

Mizuki blinked, realizing that Sano had disappeared during their conversation. She scanned the crowd for him while Nakatsu said something about having a rematch now that he was back in action. _Where did he go? I wonder if he's really that mad about having to eat so much pie?_ With a silent glance at her bickering friends, she crept off to locate her roommate.

She found him relaxing on a bench, far away from the chaotic aftermath of the contest. His hands rested casually in his pockets, and his lean form was slouched against the seat while he tilted his head back with his eyes closed. She took a moment to watch him in silence.

_No one should be allowed to look that good,_ she thought to herself as she took a seat next to him without a word.

"Asleep. Like I thought," she exclaimed aloud when he didn't move. She didn't bother to keep her voice low. _He really CAN sleep anywhere_. Then she reached over instinctively to brush a smooth strand of dark hair from his brow.

"I'm not asleep, you know," he alerted her at once.

_KYYAAAA!_ "Th-then why didn't you say anything?" She flinched and pulled away. _Oh no! Oh my god! He's going to think I'm some sort of—_

"Calm down, Ashiya." A command. _Why is she always so jumpy? _He cracked one eyelid open and met her worried gaze. "Did you honestly think I could sleep after eating so much?"

She knew he hated apologies, but somehow she still ended up doing it. "Well I…um…sorry." She finished in a rush.

"Stop apologizing," he mussed up her hair in irritation. "Anyway, I guess it wasn't all that terrible." He watched as her face lit up.

"Really? See, I told you it would be fun!" She was beaming with the biggest grin he'd ever seen.

Sano returned to slouching against the bench with his eyes closed. "Don't get excited. It wasn't because of the pie or the competition." _What am I saying?_

"Is that so? Then what?" _Is he trying to tell me…_

"I had fun because _you_ were there, Ashiya." Then he flushed a modest rose hue. _Great. Why did I even say that?_

_Ahh! Did he really just say he had fun because of me?_ "Th-thanks," she murmured, blushing as well. "Um, what will you do now? Do you want to take Yujiro for a walk with me?"

He stood up and took her by the hand, guiding her to her feet. "Sure." Then, "Hey. There's pie on your face again."

Her nose crinkled in disbelief. "Is there really? I thought I got it all off." The next thing she knew, he had leaned in and planted a kiss on the corner of her mouth. _Wh-what…_ She stood stunned, watching as he licked his lips before bringing a finger to her face in awe. To her utter horror, it came away with a glob of red on it.

_Ack! So there really WAS filling still on my face! Why me?_

Sano observed her hectic expression before chuckling lightly. "It's cherry. And it's really sweet."

"B-but you don't like sweet things!"

He shrugged and began to make his way down the path, toward where Yujiro was tethered. "I think I may have just formed a soft spot for cherry pie."

Mizuki ran to catch up to him. "Sano…" The effect of his kiss still lingered.

He shushed her with a glance. "Let's get the dog and avoid walking where there's any food. I think I'm gonna throw up."

She laughed and nodded her head. "Yeah, I think that's a good idea…"

**FIN.**


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